penne

Asiago Mac and Cheese Pie with Truffled Potato Crust or Timballo di Maccheroni

27 Jan 2012
Asiago Mac and Cheese with Truffled Potato Crust

 

I have a not-so-classic Asiago Mac and Cheese Pie with Truffled Potato Crust for you today that could pass for a geography lesson, or maybe even a life lesson. It may seem like a simple but comforting baked pasta, but unique ingredients and an international pedigree make it something more too.

This "pie" is dense with penne pasta, creamy Wisconsin Asiago cheese and Tuscan kale. I have given it an Idaho potato crust that is scented with truffle oil. I call it a non-traditional pie, but it's really a variation on timballo di maccheroni, a traditional drum-shaped baked pasta dish from Naples and the surrounding Campania region of Italy. Some few years ago, in a movie called "Big Night," the preparation of a timballo di maccheroni was featured in a big way. It made a big impression on audiences. Me included. Recipes for timballi proliferated and suddenly the dish came to the attention of Americans. Since then I have made some variation many, many times. But the more I make it the more it becomes (at least in my mind) another great take on good ole Mac & Cheese. Another example of cross-cultural culinary calisthenics.

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Asiago Mac and Cheese with Truffled Potato Crust

Asiago Mac and Cheese with Truffled Potato Crust (timballo di maccheroni)
By jgreghenry Published December 26, 2011
Prep time: 90
Yield:1 (Servings)

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb dried penne pasta
  • 1.5 lb idaho russet potatoes
  • 1 T unsalted butter
  • 1 t white truffle oil
  • 2 scallions, white & light green parts, minced
  • 1 pn each, kosher salt and freshly cracked pepper, plus more as needed
  • 2 c half and half
  • 0.25 t crushed red pepper flakes
  • 4 large eggs, lightly beaten
  • 2 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
  • 2 c asiago cheese, grated
  • 0.25 t freshly grated nutmeg
  • 1 T vegetable oil
  • 1 shallot, peeled & minced
  • 3 c lightly packed shredded tuscan kale
  • 4 oz sliced prosciutto
  • 12 sage leaves, minced
  • 0.25 c parmesan cheese, grated, plus more for passing

Directions

Cook the penne according to package directions until al dente. Drain and set aside to cool.

Heat oven to 375°F. Bake potatoes until tender, about 45 minutes. Let them cool slightly, then peel the potatoes with your hands. The peels should come off easily. Discard the skins. Push the potatoes through a ricer into a medium-sized bowl. Stir in the butter, truffle oil and scallions until well mixed. Season with salt and pepper. Using your fingers, press the potato mixture evenly across the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan. Bake until lightly browned on the edges, about 25 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack.

Bring the half-and-half to a boil in a medium-sized saucepan set over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and stir in the red pepper flakes. Let the mixture cool slightly, then briskly whisk in eggs, egg yolks, Asiago, and nutmeg. Season with more salt and pepper and set aside.

Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet set over medium heat. Add shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 2 minutes. Add the kale and cook, stirring occasionally, until wilted, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat, season with salt and pepper and set aside.

Stir the cooked penne, Asiago mixture, kale mixture, prosciutto, and sage into a large bowl until well combined. Scrape this mixture over the potato crust and spread evenly. Top with the Parmesan cheese and bake until well-browned on the tips of the penne, about 45 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool slightly on a rack before releasing the springform pan. Slice into wedges and serve warm with additional Parmesan passed at the table.

Penne with Pancetta and Romanesco Cauliflower

Penne with Pancetta and Romanesco Cauliflower
By jgreghenry Published October 3, 2009
Prep time: 45
Yield:1 ()

Ingredients:

  • 0 salt (both for seasoning and for the pasta water)
  • 1 T olive oil
  • 8 oz pancetta, cut into 1 x 1/4 x 1/4-inch batons
  • 1 lb dried penne
  • 2 medium onions, diced (1/2-inch) (about 2 cups)
  • 1 head romanesco cauliflower florets (about 3 cups)
  • 0.25 c well rinsed capers, roughly chopped if quite large
  • 1 t red pepper flakes
  • 1 c chicken broth
  • 0.5 c fine, dry bread crumbs, or as needed
  • 0.25 c chopped fresh italian parsley
  • 0 good quality olive oil for drizzling

Directions

1. Slice the florets off the cauliflower. Then slice about half the larger florets into 1/8 inch thick pieces. They will break apart a bit producing some crumbly bits as well as nice neat slices. Keep these bits and then mix all the varying sized pieces of cauliflower together in a small bowl and set it aside. 2. Heat a good-sized sauté pan over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add about the pancetta batons and cook them 5 or 6 minutes until they render some fat. Don’t let them get too brown just yet. 3. Add the diced onion to the pan and cook the onion and the pancetta about 2 more minutes until the onions soften. 4. Add the capers to the pan and mix well. Turn the heat up to medium-high. When the pan gets hot its time to put the cauliflower into the pan. Add about half of it. Remember you goal is lots of interesting texture from the vegetables. 5. At this point be patient. Don’t stir the mixture around too much. Remember you want crisp and chewy textures. If you move the vegetables around too much you’ll end up with a steamed vegetables. Once some of the vegetables begin to get brown and crispy in a few areas you can give the pan a toss, or quick stir. Add the rest of the veggies and repeat the process. This way the texture really will run the gamut from crispy little bits, to soft luscious chunks. 6. Now add about 1 cup of chicken broth to the pan with the red pepper flakes. 7. Meanwhile prepare the penne according to the package direction until al dente. Then use a large wire skimmer to drop the pasta directly into the sauté pan. Some water will come along and that is just fine. Bring the sauce and penne to a boil, tossing and stirring to coat the pasta. 8. Check your seasoning. Stir in about 1/2 of the breadcrumbs, the parsley, and 2 tablespoons of good quality olive oil. Cook, stirring the pasta often, until the sauce is slightly thickened. 9. Pour the pasta out onto a serving platter. Garnish with the last of the breadcrumbs and serve it up!

Notes:

serves 4-6

Pasta on a Wing and a Dare

28 Jan 2009

romanesco cauliflowerOkay. This may be a bit daring, but I am going to show my true colors here. A lot of people will take issue with what I am about to say. But if I learned anything from MILK (the major motion picture not the dairy product) it is this: Every person must come out and declare who they really are.

Well I am a finicky bastard who likes things a certain way. I don't believe in shortcuts, instant mashed potatoes or Segways. I like to take my time when I am cooking. I look for recipes that will challenge me. I enjoy the pre-planning, and the anticipation of my meal. When I read or hear other cooks go on and on about how easy it is. I think to myself maybe you just didn't try hard enough.

That (cheekily) said, I also realize that liking something a particular way or always wanting something you truly enjoy is occasionally not feasible. Like Patsy Cline (may have) said, “people in Hell want ice-water…that don’t mean they get it”.

I wish I had hours every day to plan and prepare scrumptious food. It would be nice if I could devote entire afternoons towards hunting down the perfect ingredients. Bought fresh everyday, with a specific purpose in mind. But if that were my reality then Oprah's ratings would plummet. Dr. Phil would be canceled. Days of Our Lives would cease to exist, and Chris Matthews would miss me (terribly).

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